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Some Cold Hard Facts about Wisconsin Wolf Hunting

The state of Wisconsin’s wolf hunting season began at an hour before dawn today, October 15th, and runs non-stop until the end of February.

Wisconsin received more than 20,000 applications for just 1,160 permits, some from as far away as Florida, Texas, and California. (Meanwhile, in Minnesota, wildlife officials have set a quota of 400 wolves and awarded 6,000 permits.)

State rules allow hunters to slay wolves by a crude assortment of methods and with a callous array of sadistic devices, including luring with bait, strangulation by snaring and slow-death in steel-jawed leg-hold traps.

In addition, the state had planned to allow hunters to start using hounds to hunt wolves beginning Nov. 26, when their deer season ends. But Dane County Judge Peter Anderson issued a temporary injunction against the use of dogs on Aug. 31, after humane societies and environmental groups sued. (Though Wisconsin currently does not allow the use of hounds for hunting wolves, they do allow hounding for bears, raccoons and many other undeserving species).

Kurt Thiede, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources* (DNR) lands division administrator, has issued a statement in support of the use of hounds: “We … have learned from other states that harvesting a wolf can be difficult. The use of dogs is a key way to increase hunter success. We will continue to work with the court to remove the injunction on the use of dogs….” (*Note to Mr. Thiede and the rest of the DNR: Wolves are not a “resource,” they are intelligent, sentient beings. Also, killing them is not “harvesting,” it’s murder!)

Wolves were once abundant in Wisconsin, numbering around 5,000 in the 19th century, before they were hunted and trapped to extinction.

Wolves have recently been shown to contribute to a greater diversity of understory plants, as well as improved deer herd and trout stream conditions, but the Wisconsin DNR has decided to allow hunters and trappers to kill 201 wolves this year alone.

Today the wolf population is growing and DNR estimates that the state could support 700 to 1,000 wolves. Yet they speculated that “this level may not be socially tolerated” and therefore have decided to limit the state’s wolf population to only 350 individuals. Of course, hunters and trappers are all-too eager to help…

Again, the injunction on the ‘hounding’ is only in place UNTIL DEC 20TH

Voice your objections to the use of hounds for wolf hunting and tell the court that hounding is not acceptable! Tell the governor and the legislators that the Wisconsin wolf hunt is exceptionally savage and will give the state a black eye. Please continue to put pressure on the governor’s office, the legislators, and the tourism department:

Jim, is there permission to copy/paste this for forwarding purposes?
This hunt is criminal. This is not civilization. It’s “legal”. So what? I will never stop villifying these sport hunters, for that is what they are. It is astounding that people aren’t protesting in the streets by the thousands. Where IS everyone? Surely most people would NOT approve, yet they remain silent. I feel all I can do is post and cross post….and I’m sure many are doing the same, yet putting a stop to this violence and murder is far from “taking off”. Frustrating.

I saw it too, I am on their e-mail list. I sent it over to Earth Justice, but I am sure they are aware. My Dad mentioned it, he and my Stepmom just adopted a Brindle Aussie Hound Dog from their local Humane Society. He said they were talking about it in the office. They live in Maine.

The HSUS is not really affilliated with the local Humane Societies that adopt out pets. Although they work on companion animals issues too, the HSUS is working on factory farm and other cruelties, including hunting.

Just called the Governor’s office and a person by the name of Dan answered. Dan asked for my address and because I’m not a Wisconsin resident, he said only Wisconsin residents can comment on the wolf hunt — have a good day. He hung up and apparently blocked my phone number since my succeeding phone calls will not go through. Walker should have lost his job when he was being recalled. He is not someone who should be governor of one of the 50 states of the United States. Can Walker do this legally?

Well, I’m sure they’re happy as hell to take “outsiders” money, yes? How outrageous….and a letter should be sent regarding Dan’s obnoxious telephone skills…though he probably got his cues from gov Scott.

You’re welcome, Louise, and thanks for all you do! By the way, I have your name on a list of people who wanted signed copies of the book. Please email me at exposingthebiggame@gmail.com if you’re still wanting some sent to you

Sigh, the day of silenced wolf howls in wisconsin, and my family will never be the same. Will any of ours in the 2012 wolf wars? Thanks to the blogs, and the Leaders and the People posting stories and the Movement to try to save the wolves. So much deception, corruption, lies from Government, betrayal to these amazing canines, and the numbers are adding up. For nothing really but land grabbing for frack mining and cattle ranchers, and the people who were supposed to be removed are still sitting high in the saddle and our wolves still die. Canada even has a sick game of killing them. I miss our wolves, cry for them every day, my kids miss them. I post news and have told my followers to take back mother earth and keep on the mission. Were going to get Karma one way or another, and every time we go into court against these bastards, we look more tired but were more determined to win …thanks for giving us all a reason to carry a mission and a reason to be facing these bastard poachers.